Method and system for transferring object across one or more geographical areas

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide an object transfer system for transferring an object from a source address to a destination address through nodes across one or more geographical areas, the system comprising an intelligent object distribution platform and a plurality of nodes each located in a respective geographical area. The platform, the nodes and users can communicate with each other in a wired manner or in a wireless manner. The platform is configured to associate nodes located in each geographical area to form a number of tree structures with respective roots of said trees being connected with each other; and said roots in each geographical area are all connected to one of other nodes which are not part of any tree structure and which in turn are connected to each other. The platform is further configured to select a route associated with for the object, instruct the nodes on the selected route to transport the object; wherein in response to receiving a message from a node that an object has arrived at the node, the platform sends a message to inform the node of the next node in the unique shortest route for the object, and sends a message to inform the next node there will be an object arriving at.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An intelligent object distribution platform for use in transferring an object from a source address to a destination address through nodes across one or more geographical areas, wherein the platform, the nodes and users can communicate with each other in a wired manner or in a wireless manner, said platform comprises a processor and a memory, the memory comprises computer programs which are executed by the processor to perform the operations of:
 receiving information about node from the respective nodes, receiving a message that an object arrives at a node from the node, and receiving user information and information about object from a user or from a node;   maintaining information about node, maintaining user information, and managing and maintaining a unique ID for each object, the location of the object, and the information about the object;   associating nodes located in each geographical area to form a number of tree structures with respective roots of said trees being connected with each other, wherein each geographical area comprises a plurality of regions, each of which in turn comprises a plurality of sub-regions, and in each tree structure a root is formed by a Regional Distribution Center and non-root nodes in each tree structure are each formed by a Distribution Center or a hub, which Distribution Center must have one and only one connection to its parent node and its parent node can be another Distribution Center or a Regional Distribution Center, which hub can only be a leaf of the tree structure, it has only one parent node and its parent node can only be a Distribution Center; wherein said roots in each geographical area are all connected to one of other nodes which are not part of any tree structure and which in turn are connected to each other; and wherein a Distribution Center is responsible for delivery in a sub-region and a Regional Distribution Center is responsible for delivery across regions or across sub-regions, said other nodes are formed by Country Distribution Centers which are responsible for delivery across geographical areas;   selecting for the object a source node and a destination node corresponding to the source address and the destination address respectively;   selecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object based on the user information, the information about object and the information about node; and   instructing the nodes on the selected route to transport the object; wherein in response to receiving a message from a node that an object has arrived at the node, sending a message to inform the node of the next node in the unique shortest route for the object, and sending a message to inform the next node there will be an object arriving at.   
     
     
         2 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 1 , wherein selecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object comprises: deriving a shortest route from the source node to the destination node for the object based on the topology of the connected nodes and the distances between nodes. 
     
     
         3 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 1 , wherein selecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object comprises: deriving an optimal route from the source node to the destination node for the object based on the topology of the connected nodes, the distances between nodes, the transfer time between nodes, and the transfer latency for object at respective nodes. 
     
     
         4 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 1 , wherein the computer programs are executed by the processor to perform the operation of: during the process of transferring an object, if any of the nodes on the selected route fails or connection between any two neighboring nodes on the selected route is broken, reselecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object based on the updated topology of the nodes and instructing the nodes on the reselected route to transport the object. 
     
     
         5 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 1 , wherein the computer programs are executed by the processor to perform the operations of: controlling the process of transferring an object through nodes across one or more geographical areas according to the unique ID. 
     
     
         6 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 1 , wherein the information about node including relationships between nodes, service scope, service price, and processing capacity of nodes; the information about object including the source address, the destination address, the weight and the volume of an object; the user information includes address information of a consigner and a consignee, their respective access nodes. 
     
     
         7 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 1 , wherein said unique ID comprises Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), two dimensional codes, bar codes or an ID on a standard box. 
     
     
         8 . The intelligent object distribution platform of  claim 7 , wherein the standard box is made of plastics and can be reused many times and recycled, and said standard box can be sealed by sealing label that issued by the platform to protect the things in the box. 
     
     
         9 . An object transfer system for transferring an object from a source address to a destination address through nodes across one or more geographical areas, the system comprising an intelligent object distribution platform and a plurality of nodes each located in a respective geographical area, wherein the platform, the nodes and users can communicate with each other in a wired manner or in a wireless manner, wherein,
 the nodes are configured to provide object transfer function, to send information about node to the platform, and to send a message that an object arrives at the node to the platform when the object arrives;   the platform is configured to:
 receive information about node from the respective nodes, receiving a message that an object arrives at a node from the node, and receive user information and information about object from a user or from a node; 
 maintain information about node, maintain user information, and manage and maintain a unique ID for each object, the location of the object, and the information about the object; 
 associate nodes located in each geographical area to form a number of tree structures with respective roots of said trees being connected with each other, wherein each geographical area comprises a plurality of regions, each of which in turn comprises a plurality of sub-regions, and in each tree structure a root is formed by a Regional Distribution Center and non-root nodes in each tree structure are each formed by a Distribution Center or a hub, which Distribution Center must have one and only one connection to its parent node and its parent node can be another Distribution Center or a Regional Distribution Center, which hub can only be a leaf of the tree structure, it has only one parent node and its parent node can only be a Distribution Center; wherein said roots in each geographical area are all connected to one of other nodes which are not part of any tree structure and which in turn are connected to each other; and wherein a Distribution Center is responsible for delivery in a sub-region and a Regional Distribution Center is responsible for delivery across regions or across sub-regions, said other nodes are formed by Country Distribution Centers which are responsible for delivery across geographical areas; 
 select for the object a source node and a destination node corresponding to the source address and the destination address respectively; 
 select a route associated with the unique ID of the object based on the user information, the information about object and the information about node; and 
 instruct the nodes on the selected route to transport the object; wherein in response to receiving a message from a node that an object has arrived at the node, the platform sends a message to inform the node of the next node in the unique shortest route for the object, and sends a message to inform the next node there will be an object arriving at. 
   
     
     
         10 . The object transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein the platform is further configured to derive a shortest route from the source node to the destination node for the object based on the topology of the connected nodes and the distances between nodes. 
     
     
         11 . The object transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein the platform is further configured to derive an optimal route from the source node to the destination node for the object based on the topology of the connected nodes, the distances between nodes, the transfer time between nodes, and the transfer latency for object at respective nodes. 
     
     
         12 . The object transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein the platform is further configured to, during the process of transferring an object, if any of the nodes on the selected route fails or connection between any two neighboring nodes on the selected route is broken, reselect a route associated with the unique ID of the object based on the updated topology of the nodes and instruct the nodes on the reselected route to transport the object. 
     
     
         13 . The object transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein the platform is further configured to control the process of transferring an object through nodes across one or more geographical areas according to the unique ID. 
     
     
         14 . The object transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein the information about node including relationships between nodes, service scope, service price, and processing capacity of nodes; the information about object including the source address, the destination address, the weight and the volume of an object; the user information includes address information of a consigner and a consignee, their respective access nodes. 
     
     
         15 . The object transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein said unique ID comprises Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), two dimensional codes, bar codes or an ID on a standard box. 
     
     
         16 . A method for transferring an object from a source address to a destination address across one or more geographical areas through nodes located in said geographical areas by means of an intelligent object distribution platform, wherein the platform, the nodes and users can communicate with each other in a wired manner or in a wireless manner, said method comprising,
 the platform receiving information about node from the respective nodes, receiving a message that an object arrives at a node from the node, and receiving user information and information about object from a user or from a node;   the platform maintaining information about node, maintaining user information, and managing and maintaining a unique ID for each object, the location of the object, and the information about the object;   the platform associating nodes located in each geographical area to form a number of tree structures with respective roots of said trees being connected with each other, wherein each geographical area comprises a plurality of regions, each of which in turn comprises a plurality of sub-regions, and in each tree structure a root is formed by a Regional Distribution Center and non-root nodes in each tree structure are each formed by a Distribution Center or a hub, which Distribution Center must have one and only one connection to its parent node and its parent node can be another Distribution Center or a Regional Distribution Center, which hub can only be a leaf of the tree structure, it has only one parent node and its parent node can only be a Distribution Center; wherein said roots in each geographical area are all connected to one of other nodes which are not part of any tree structure and which in turn are connected to each other; and wherein a Distribution Center is responsible for delivery in a sub-region and a Regional Distribution Center is responsible for delivery across regions or across sub-regions, said other nodes are formed by Country Distribution Centers which are responsible for delivery across geographical areas;   the platform selecting for the object a source node and a destination node corresponding to the source address and the destination address respectively;   the platform selecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object based on the user information, the information about object and the information about node; and   the platform instructing the nodes on the selected route to transport the object; wherein in response to receiving a message from a node that an object has arrived at the node, sending a message to inform the node of the next node in the unique shortest route for the object, and sending a message to inform the next node there will be an object arriving at.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein selecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object comprises: deriving a shortest route from the source node to the destination node for the object based on the topology of the connected nodes and the distances between nodes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein selecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object comprises: deriving an optimal route from the source node to the destination node for the object based on the topology of the connected nodes, the distances between nodes, the transfer time between nodes, and the transfer latency for object at respective nodes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein during the process of transferring an object, if any of the nodes on the selected route fails or connection between any two neighboring nodes on the selected route is broken, the platform reselecting a route associated with the unique ID of the object based on the updated topology of the nodes and instructing the nodes on the reselected route to transport the object. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the platform controls the process of transferring an object through nodes across one or more geographical areas according to the unique ID.